2005 Salary Survey in Game Developer Magazine

[rjuang]

Hi all,

 

Have you guys read the 4th Annual Salary Survey by Jill Duffy in April issue of Game Developer Magazine? I was wondering if I'm the only one being depressed after the reading the salary survey or if there is anyone who also shares my feeling.

 

I have been a game play programmer for 5 years, but what I'm getting paid is less than the national average for programmers with less than 3 years of industry experience. To add to my frustration, I'm living in California, which is supposed to be one the highest paying regions. I know that the survey includes all types of programmers, and being a game play programmer means I should be getting less pay than engine programmers of the same years in position, but is 5 years on the job getting less than 3 years of national average reasonable? I doubt it has anything to do with my performance because I got highest review and raise this year, but none of my previous raise excceed 5%. Am I getting screwed by my company or is this about what a game play programmer usually getting paid?

 

What do you guys think? Should I start looking, find out how much my coworkers getting, or just shut up and be thankful for having a job in the game industry?

[jaguars4ever]

shut up and be thankful for having a job in the game industry

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[rjuang]

I came home 11pm yesterday and it's not even crunch time...

 

My wife is currently 3 month pregnant. When I got home she was already asleep. She needs to go to work early. I didn't get to talk to her the whole day.

 

Be thankful? Maybe... I guess I'll have to try...

 

 

Just curious, are you also a game developer? If so are you getting roughly the same pay as I am? Or how is it compared to the survey result? The thing is, I really don't know if I'm underpaid or not so I need to find out. If I'm not, meaning other programmers are treated about the same as I am, then I'll feel much better and thankful for what I have. If I am underpaid then I need to do something.. if I still do nothign about it then I really deserve it.

[Craigboy2]

Who do you work for?

[Aaron Contreras]

I think I read the same article. My experiences and conversations with people in the industry suggest:

 

1 - If an employer (game industry or not) can take advantage of you they will.

2 - The best way to make more money is to bounce to another company.

 

Some companies just don't pay as much as others. I've never brought up wanting more money to an employer without already having a better offer at another gig - prepare for the worst and all that.

[Tarmack]

If you are underpaid bro you are underpaid and need to take a serious look at it.

 

Ive dabbled some in the games industry and though its where I want to be, that doesnt mean Im gonna take a job for minimum wage just so I can have my name in the back of a manual. But I would say to take the survey with a grain of salt. Those averages can be misleading at times.

 

Not every company is created equal and some can spend more time and money on creating an atmosphere that is spectacular to work in, whereas others have higher wages but spend less on that family atmosphere.

 

So its all in what you want to work for. And no, working in the games industry isnt such a perfectly amazing goal that you should just ignore when you arent treated fairly as some others may suggest. But make sure you are being treated unfairly before you approach anyone about it.

 

Good Gaming :shades:

[rjuang]

Who do you work for?

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I hope you're not my coworker. :ph34r:

 

My company was one of Vivendi's studios. We were sold earlier this year. It was pretty bad when we were under VUG. It's still too early to tell if things will get better.

[Craigboy2]

Who do you work for?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I hope you're not my coworker. :ph34r:

 

My company was one of Vivendi's studios. We were sold earlier this year. It was pretty bad when we were under VUG. It's still too early to tell if things will get better.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Don't worry I can't be your coworker because I'm 14.

[jaguars4ever]

Don't worry I can't be your coworker because I'm 14.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

You're younger than Baley...now that's just scary!

[rjuang]

Thanks for the input Aaron. I guess I'll keep my eyes open and be prepared when quitting becomes inevitable. I hope the day won't come too soon because leaving the project before gold screws my coworkers more than my employer and I really don't want to do that.

[rjuang]

Thanks for the advice Tarmack.

 

Yeah I feel skeptical about the survey too because it includes all types of programmer and categorize by the year of experience. The engine team are usually the curve buster.

 

How do I find out if I'm being treated unfairly? Is there a more detailed survey based on years at specific position in the game industry instead of just "programmers"?

[BicycleOfDeath]

Well, I feel your pain with not seeing the wife. Mine and I work opposing schedules. She works 8am-5pm, I work 4pm-1am. I'm sleeping, she's working, and vise versa.

 

Good luck to you.

[eckertt001]

From reading your post, it just sounds like you

[Tsel]

I live in L.A. County here in California and trust me, never believe those salary charts.

Those charts show that the average pay for me is 78K a year.

It is total bunk.

The real average pay in my field at my level in Southern California is 43K a year.

But, like others have said, if you are unhappy with your job for any reason at all, look for another; believe me nothing bites the big one worse than working at a job you dread to go to.

 

Good Luck

Tsel

[metadigital]

It sounds like the pay isn't the problem. It sounds like you might need to re-assess your work-life balance. (How much is the extra cash really worth to you? Maybe dropping a few hours and a few grand might give you some better quality of life with your family: if not immediately, then when the baby comes, for sure.) If that is a problem for your current employer, I'd update my cv (which it always should be anyway) and start making discreet calls to the competition and any other companies that might be of interest ...